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SAM-e
was first discovered in 1952 in Italy and has been commercially
available to treat depression in Europe since 1976. SAM-e
is short for S-adenosylmethionine (pronounced "Sammy"),
a substance that occurs naturally in the body. It is the
combination of one (1) essential amino acid and ATP that
plays a role in 35 - 40 biochemical reactions throughout
the body.
In most
people, the body can make all the SAM-e it needs, but some
patients with depression and other conditions have been
found to have lower levels of the compound as well as lower
levels of Folic Acid (also known as Folate) and vitamin
B12. These three (3) substances play a part in the metabolic
process called "methyl donation" or "methylation",
a process in which a molecule made of one (1) carbon molecule
and three (3) hydrogen atoms are attached to proteins and
lipids.
These methylation reactions are involved in the production
of neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine and norepiphrine)
in the brain and enzymes that help repair joints and the
liver.
How does SAMe
work?
In
the body, SAMe is what is called a "methyl donor".
This means that when SAMe reacts with Vitamin B12 and Folic
Acid (Folate), it gives away units of carbon (a methyl group)
to other molecules in the body. That process is critical
in the production of depression fighting brain chemicals
like serotonin.
Benefits
& functions of SAMe
- SAMe
can increase levels of the important neurotransmitters
(serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine and phosphatdylserine)
and increase the fluidity of brain cell membranes that
effect the way in which brain cells receives and transmits
neurotransmitters such as these named above.
- Research
has shown that increased levels of SAMe can significantly
enhance the body's ability to detoxify itself of various
substances and may actually help "mop up" old
neurotransmitter material and improve the way fresh neurotransmitters
bind to cells (an essential process for cells to communicate
information).
- Further,
the effects of SAMe on the liver are impressive. SAMe
promotes bile flow to aid the digestion of fat. SAMe also
functions in the liver by preventing estrogens from causing
damage to the liver.
SAMe also assists the liver
by increasing the production of glutathione which is the
bodies major anti-oxident.
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Studies have also shown that a deficiency of SAMe in the
joints can result in the loss of integrity. SAMe may help
rebuild damaged cartilage and has been helpful for acute
injuries and inflammation.
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Under normal circumstances the body produces all the SAMe
it needs from the amino acid methionine.
However, a deficiency of methionine (the source of which
is meat, fish and eggs), vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 or Folic
Acid can result in diminished SAMe synthesis.
In addition low levels of SAMe are not uncommon in the
elderly and those experiencing joint related problems.
On
a cellular level, whenever a SAMe molecule looses its methyl
group, it breaks down into a compound called homocysteine,
which is an amino acid - a molecule with the potential to
wreak cellular havoc within our bodies.
High levels of homocysteine have the same effect on LDL
cholesterols as does smoking which also oxidises the LDL
and therby enables the LDL cholesterol to impregnate the
coronary arteries and lay down plaque.
With the assistance of three B-Vitamins (Vitamin B6, Vitamin
B12 and Folic Acid) our bodies convert homocysteine into
the valuable antioxidant glutathione through a process called
transsulferation, or convert it back into methionine through
remethylation.
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When
our bodies contain sufficient stores of these three B-Vitamins,
homocysteine levels are kept comfortably low - but when
our bodies are depleted of those vitamins, homocysteine
levels can rise quickly, stalling the production of SAMe
- potentially causing cellular damage and countless health
problems.
- SAMe
has been confirmed by several studies to be as effective
as the tricyclic anti-depressants in the treatment of
depression as traditional pharmaceuticals anti-depressants,
with no side effects.
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SAMe is a naturally occurring compound that protects DNA
from the genetic mutations associated with ageing and
disease.
- SAMe
has also been used in Europe in the treatment of alcohol
related liver damage and cirrhosis aswell as damage caused
by anaestetics and viral hepatitis.
- Methylation
is a process that occurs a vast number of times per second
in the body affecting everything from foetal development
to brain function.
It regulates the expression of genes. It preserves the
fatty membranes that insulate our cells. And it helps
regulate the action of various hormones and neurotransmitters.
And without SAMe there would be no methylation as we know
it.
SAMe
is the most active of all methyl-donors. Our bodies make
it from methionine and then continually recycle it. Essentially,
SAMe and homocysteine are two versions of the same molecule
- one benign and one potentially dangerous when levels are
too high.
We have learnt that when cells are well stocked with B-Vitamins,
the brisk pace of methylation keeps homocysteine levels
low.
But when we are low on those, homocysteine can build up
quickly, stalling production of SAMe.
High homocysteine levels are a major risk factor for heart
attacks & strokes. During pregnancy it raises the risk
of spina bifida and other birth defects. And many studies
have implicated it in depression when levels are high and
SAMe levels are low especially when the required folic acid,
Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B6 are also low.
SAMe
was first given to patients for use in treating depression,
but when some of those patients began to report relief from
osteoarhritis joint pain, researchers began to study this
second benefit of the product.
Over
22,000 arthritis sufferers reported after only four weeks
of treatment, that SAMe gave comparable results to NSAID
(anti-inflammatory pain relievers) when used in higher dosages
than required for treating depression ie more than 400mg
per day.
The
vital distinction is that instead of stomach-lining irritation
that some NSAIDs can cause, SAMe may actually protect the
stomach lining. Further more, animal studies show that SAMe
could help restore damaged cartilage in addition to relieving
pain.
How might taking extra SAMe improve a persons mood?
Researchers
have identified several possibilities. Normal brain functions
involve the passage of chemical messengers between cells.
SAMe
may enhance the impact of mood-boosting messengers such
as dopamine and serotonin - either by regulating their breakdown
or by speeding production of the receptor molecules they
latch onto. SAMe
may also make existing receptors more responsive.
These molecules float around in the outer membranes of brain
cells like swimmers treading water in a pool.
If
the membranes get thick and glutinous due to age and other
assaults, the receptors loose their ability to move and
change in response to chemical signals.
By methylating fats called phospolipids, SAMe
keeps the membranes fluid and the receptors mobile.
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